The Mind of a Leader, a Lunchtime Listen Recommendation

keywords:  leadership skills, skills for successful leadership, build a team and team-cohesiveness, skill-building, team leadership, leadership and mindfulness, leadership and selflessness, leadership and compassion

links updated February 2019

The foundation of leadership is to understand yourself --Rasmus Hougard

This week's Lunchtime Listen recommendation is a keynote address, 

"The Mind of a Leader" by Rasmus Hougard.   

This limited-availability video is an intriguing lead magnet from the Mindful Leadership Summit.

"The Mind of a Leader" keynote presentation reviews, in 52 minutes, the findings published in The Potential Project's new book, The Mind of the Leader:  How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter.

This video is available to view until Thursday, March 29th, 2018.

View today's featured presentation video on the Mindful.org webpage.

"The foundation of leadership is to understand yourself" --minute 6.55

Notes on the Presentation
The Potential Project did a 2-year research project, working with the Harvard Business Review, about leadership. The results are published in the book, Mind of the Leader, which was released in March 2018.

Presentation Overview
The presentation will be a "crash course" in
(1) mindfulness
(2) selflessness, and
(3) compassion. [minute 8.30]

Mindfulness subject focus [minutes 8-24]

• "mindfulness [improves] mental agility"
• tool to try:  "The Mindfulness Assessment" available on hbr.org
• Mindfulness is "be-here-now"

Selflessness discussion [minutes 24-35]

"selflessness is the most important leadership quality in the 21st century"--Dominic Barton

"Selflessness helps us to see the inter-connected-ness of organizations and make us understand our modest contribution.  The only sound response is humility and gratitude." 

When you develop humility, it is easier to practice gratitude.

Research has shown that "gratitude is [the most] empowering leadership skill."


Compassion Discussion [starts minute 35]
Marriott Hotels example.

Jeff Weiner: "compassion without wisdom is folly; wisdom without compassion, ruthless." [minute 40]

• minute 43:  compassion is also about giving tough feedback so [your employee/colleague] can grow and improve.
• Compassion can be difficult.
• Compassion is valuable leadership skill. 
• Do you know how to develop your compassion?
• minute 44-48 short 3-minute "practice of compassion"
• be aware of your intention throughout your day.  Intention is directly related to acts of compassion.

When leaders are (1) mindful, (2) selfless, and (3) compassionate, this creates trust and social cohesion.  So, when hard times arise, the organization will be ready and resilient.

References mentioned
Mindful Leader website
The Potential Project
Mind of the Leader, the book

Related Blogposts

More Lunchtime Listen Recommendations

More about Mindfulness:  Are You Appreciating the Present Moment?

Mindfulness in the Workplace as Competitive Advantage and Healthy Workplace

More on Gratitude:  Reflective Readings to Inspire Wellness, Gratitude-a Powerful Force

More on Leadership

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Maiyah Olivas's work

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